| During the long winter months or on rainy days | | | | together. Place some large empty boxes around |
| your child may suffer from cabin fever! You | | | | the floor for your child to crawl in, on and through. |
| know the symptoms: feeling isolated, restless and | | | | Add more obstacles like a chair, step stool, soft |
| easily agitated. You feel like screaming - or maybe | | | | pillows, large laundry baskets, etc. This is a terrific |
| you do - and you crave a change of scenery. It's | | | | activity for using stored energy, motor skills and |
| a "fever" every one of us tries to avoid. Here are | | | | imagination.Design a music bandKids make noise, |
| some easy ideas to keep it from infecting your | | | | so channel it! Make instruments for a marching |
| tot and to help his development too:Read, read, | | | | band. Drums can be made from empty oatmeal |
| read!This is an especially good time to get cozy | | | | boxes, coffee cans or a pot and wooden spoon. |
| with your tot, a book and a cup of tea. Sit in a | | | | Cymbals can be created from lids of different |
| chair or by the fireplace. Kids of all ages love to | | | | sized pots or pans. Cover one side of a block with |
| be read to, and the undivided time they share | | | | coarse sandpaper and rub two papered blocks |
| with you brings a feeling of comfort. Reading | | | | together for sand blocks. Rhythm sticks can be |
| helps pass time and builds your child's language | | | | made from two empty paper towel rolls or old |
| and concentration skills.Play gamesTwo-year-olds | | | | newspaper rolled up and secured with masking |
| love to play hide and seek and chase games. | | | | tape. Now get out the kazoo. Research says that |
| Three-year-olds can begin board games such as | | | | making music is one way to stimulate your tot's |
| Candyland, and Chutes and Ladders. Games teach | | | | brain development for future math skills.Build |
| kids how to take turns, practice patience and how | | | | blocksBag blocks can be made by filling large |
| to lose or win gracefully. The bonus here is that | | | | grocery bags with crumpled newspaper. Stuff |
| many academic skills such as learning colors, | | | | each bag full, fold over the open end of the bag, |
| shapes and counting are also reinforced. Card | | | | and tape it shut. Make several bag blocks -- the |
| games like Old Maid strengthen small hand and | | | | more the better! These are fun for jumping or |
| finger muscles. Older kids can play Yahtzee, chess | | | | sitting on, tossing and rolling. Older children can help |
| and checkers.Ignite imaginationYoung children love | | | | younger siblings make the bag blocks. You've just |
| dressing up and pretending. Offer your tot a | | | | recycled and your tot has made inexpensive |
| basket with old clothing, hats, shoes, jewelry, etc., | | | | toys.Pretend ocean playFill your bathtub with blue |
| and it may be just the nudge needed for | | | | water (a few drops of blue food coloring), throw |
| self-entertainment.Create artworkUse crayons, | | | | in floating toys and watch your child's imagination |
| markers, paper, chalk and chalkboard to get | | | | take off. No, the food coloring does not turn your |
| those creative juices flowing. For toddlers, avoid | | | | little munchkin into a blue genie, nor does it stain |
| coloring books and demands to "Color inside the | | | | the tub. Since kids love water, maybe you can |
| lines." Instead encourage creative drawings. | | | | persuade your little one to take off his clothes |
| Phrases like "Tell me about your picture," and | | | | and jump in. This is a sneaky way to get 'em |
| "You are using red to color" build your tot's | | | | clean. When my girls were toddlers and I wanted |
| self-esteem. Be sure to display that fantastic | | | | them to take a bath, there would often be an |
| Picasso on the refrigerator at your child's eye | | | | argument. To avoid the debate, I diverted their |
| level.Make playdoughThis simple recipe requires | | | | attention with, "Do you want your water pink or |
| little time and can really beat boredom. First | | | | blue?"Enjoy snow playIf there's snow, go |
| gather: 2 cups flour, 1 cup salt, 1 tablespoon alum, | | | | outdoors and build a snowman, woman, child or |
| 2 cups boiling water, 2 tablespoons oil, food | | | | fort. Take your camera and capture the |
| coloring and fragrance oil (the last two are | | | | memories. Then go indoors for a warm cup of |
| optional). Next, mix together the flour, salt and | | | | cocoa and a foot rub or a book! Since the season |
| alum. Carefully stir in the boiling water, and if using, | | | | of parenting is so short, make a photo album or |
| a few drops each of the food coloring and | | | | scrapbook your snow memories.Always make |
| fragrance oil. Encourage your child to use a spoon | | | | sure toys and books are in low places where |
| to stir this mixture; you must give constant | | | | youngsters can easily reach them without coming |
| supervision. Add 2 tablespoons oil. Mix dough | | | | to you for assistance. This builds their |
| together, and when cool to the touch, knead until | | | | independence and self-esteem.If your child is |
| smooth. The warm, soft dough is therapeutic to | | | | playing quietly, or least contentedly, don't interrupt. |
| frazzled nerves and strengthens a youngster's | | | | I practice the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" |
| fine motor skills. Store in an airtight container and | | | | philosophy in parenting. But when cabin fever does |
| this playdough will remain soft for months.Cut up | | | | get to your child, remember it's only temporary. |
| with cataloguesUse old mail-order catalogues or | | | | Be prepared to offer a couple of activities, giving |
| magazines to cut out pictures of people, pets, | | | | your child freedom to choose.Just as you gain |
| trees, etc. To develop cognitive (thinking) skills, | | | | confidence through knowledge and experience, so |
| encourage your child to search for pictures of the | | | | does your child. With the new ideas you suggest, |
| same color, season, etc. Your little one needs | | | | your child learns what to do for |
| practice at using scissors because it builds strong | | | | self-entertainment. With practice, he becomes |
| hand muscles. Be sure to supervise, though, or | | | | more confident in himself.Even when your child is |
| you may have newly designed curtains!Plan play | | | | older, come back and read this article again. It will |
| groupsOne way to model hospitality is to plan | | | | refresh your cabin fever expertise. Best wishes |
| visits to other people's homes or to invite a | | | | for warm and safe days ahead!(c)copyright, |
| playmate to your home for short visits. | | | | Brenda Nixon.Brenda Nixon, M.A. ( is a speaker, |
| Remember, toddlers need lots of supervision and | | | | writer and educator dedicated to building strong |
| duplicates of toys to avoid fighting. Children older | | | | families through parent empowerment. She is the |
| than three years can play together with a little | | | | author of Parenting Power in the Early Years on |
| less competition, but stay close by in case you | | | | raising a child from birth to age five, a columnist, |
| are needed as a peacemaker.Assemble an | | | | contributing author to 18 books, and a fun, popular |
| obstacle courseKids and empty boxes go | | | | speaker to parents and childcare professionals. |